Systems and methods of real-time electronic fire sprinkler location and activation

ABSTRACT

An electronic fire sprinkler system includes a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers that each output a flow of fluid in response to receiving an activation signal, a plurality of temperature sensors that each detect a temperature and output an indication of the detected temperature, a plurality of network devices that detect a distance to at least one of the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit receives a plurality of detected distances, calculates a location of each electronic fire sprinkler based on the of detected distances, determines that a fire condition is present based on the detected temperature, identifies one or more of the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers based on the calculated locations and an identifier of the temperature sensor from which the indication of the detected temperature was received, and transmits one or more activation signals to the identified electronic fire sprinklers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 17/056,054, filed Nov. 17, 2020, titled“SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF REAL-TIME ELECTRONIC FIRE SPRINKLER LOCATION ANDACTIVATION”, which is a U.S. National Stage Entry of ApplicationPCT/US2019/033086, filed May 20, 2019, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS OFREAL-TIME ELECTRONIC FIRE SPRINKLER LOCATION AND ACTIVATION”, whichclaims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.62/674,468, filed May 21, 2018, titled “SMART SPRINKLER TECHNOLOGY INFIRE PROTECTION: REAL-TIME LOCATION SYSTEM AND FIRE SPRINKLERS,” thedisclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND

Fire sprinklers are used to deliver fluid to a location at which a firemay be taking place. Fire sprinklers can be actuated in response totrigger conditions, such as smoke or heat. Electronic fire sprinklerscan be actuated using an electric impulse.

SUMMARY

At least one aspect relates to an electronic fire sprinkler system. Theelectronic fire sprinkler system includes a plurality of electronic firesprinklers that each output a flow of fluid in response to receiving anactivation signal, a plurality of temperature sensors that each detect atemperature and output an indication of the detected temperature, aplurality of network devices that detect a distance to at least one ofthe plurality of electronic fire sprinklers, and a processing circuitthat receives a plurality of detected distances from the plurality ofnetwork devices, executes a trilateration algorithm to calculate alocation of each electronic fire sprinkler based on the plurality ofdetected distances, determines that a fire condition is present based onthe indication of the detected temperature, identifies one or more ofthe plurality of electronic fire sprinklers based on the calculatedlocations and an identifier of the temperature sensor from which theindication of the detected temperature was received, and transmits oneor more activation signals to the identified one or more of theplurality of electronic fire sprinklers to cause the identified one ormore of the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers to output one ormore corresponding flows of fluid.

At least one aspect relates to a method. The method includes detecting,by each of a plurality of sensors, a temperature and outputting anindication of the detected temperature. The method includes detecting,by a plurality of network devices, a distance to at least one electronicfire sprinkler of a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers. The methodincludes determining, by one or more processors, a location of eachelectronic fire sprinkler by applying trilateration to the plurality ofdetected distances. The method includes detecting, by the one or moreprocessors, a fire condition based on the indication of the detectedtemperature. The method includes identifying, by the one or moreprocessors, one or more of the plurality of electronic fire sprinklersbased on the determined locations and an identifier of the temperaturesensor from which the indication of the detected temperature wasreceived. The method includes transmitting, by the one or moreprocessors, one or more activation signals to the identified one or moreof the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers to cause the identifiedone or more of the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers to output oneor more corresponding flows of fluid to address the fire condition.

These and other aspects and implementations are discussed in detailbelow. The foregoing information and the following detailed descriptioninclude illustrative examples of various aspects and implementations,and provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature andcharacter of the claimed aspects and implementations. The drawingsprovide illustration and a further understanding of the various aspectsand implementations, and are incorporated in and constitute a part ofthis specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic fire sprinkler system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic fire sprinkler system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating trilateration with threedevices and one sprinkler.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method of operating an electronic firesprinkler system.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary isillustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Otheraspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices and/orprocesses described herein, as defined solely by the claims, will becomeapparent in the detailed description set forth herein and taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of firesprinklers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates toreal-time location systems and fire sprinklers. Electronic firesprinklers can provide a significant improvement in both speed ofactivation and fire containment. As such, electronic fire sprinklers canenable taller buildings, increased storage heights, and increasedoperational flexibility. To achieve these performance gains, a systemimplementing electronic fire sprinklers should accurately select andactuate sprinklers around a fire early in the development of the fire.Increasing the location awareness of electronic fire sprinklers systemsusing a real time location system (RTLS) as described herein can improvesystem performance, including the accuracy and precision offire-fighting, while reducing installation challenges.

The RTLS can allow for building height, configuration, and operations tobe increased, such as for warehouses and fulfillment centers that areexpected to be capable of handling a large range of goods and materials.The RTLS can enable buildings to have added ceiling height (e.g., theelectronic fire sprinklers can be actuated, even in high ceilingsituations where ceiling temperatures may be relatively slow to reachhigh values, early enough such that the fire may be adequatelycontrolled), and to reduce the reliance on higher cost packagingmaterials in warehouses. For example, the RTLS can enable electronicfire sprinklers to be activated based on their location relative to afire (e.g., relative to temperature sensors that detect a firecondition), rather than waiting for a threshold number of sprinklers todetect the fire condition before activation.

In some embodiments, the RTLS can locate a subject, such as anelectronic fire sprinkler, within 10 cm accuracy and can communicatedata via ultra-wideband (UWB) compliant wireless transceiver standards.An electronic fire sprinkler system implementing the RTLS can generate atopological map of the fire sprinkler network, such that the topologicalmap can be used to control sprinkler actuation. The RTLS can performwireless data communications; detecting location and temperature data; adistributed computing model; the capacity to manage more complex controlalgorithms; reducing costs by eliminating the need for a control panel;greater reliability and system integrity due to the use of multiplenetwork devices (e.g., three devices provide three algorithmic networkcoordinators and three points of system reliability); programmaticaddressing rather than manual addressing; and plug and play installationrather than onsite programming. As described herein, electronicsprinkler systems can use the RTLS to achieve superior performance inchallenging applications like high ceilings with highly combustiblecommodities.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an electronic fire sprinkler system 100 isdepicted. The electronic fire sprinkler system 100 can operate an arrayof sprinklers surrounding a point of fire origin, during early stages offire development, which can maximize an amount of water applied ontoburning materials, and pre-wetting adjacent unburned fuels to preventlateral fire spread. The electronic fire sprinkler system 100 caninclude an existing sprinkler platform modified to operate electricallyand connected to an electronic detection and control system.

The electronic fire sprinkler system 100 can include a plurality ofelectronic fire sprinklers 104 coupled with a water supply 112 via oneor more pipes 108. The one or more pipes 108 can include various pipingcomponents, such as manifolds, risers, and valves. The plurality ofelectronic fire sprinklers 104 can receive water from the water supply112 through the one or more pipes 108. Each sprinkler 104 can activatein response to receiving an activation signal.

The electronic fire sprinkler 104 can switch from a first state thatprevents output of water to a second state that allows output of waterresponsive to a fire condition. For example, the electronic firesprinkler 104 can include a seal that prevents water flow through theelectronic fire sprinkler 104, and an actuator that can adjust or removethe seal responsive to the fire condition, such as by being activated bya control signal from a remote device (e.g., a sensor 116) or responsiveto activation of a thermal element (e.g., a metal element that deformsresponsive to temperatures above a temperature threshold or a tube atleast partially filled with fluid that breaks responsive to temperaturesabove the temperature threshold). The electronic fire sprinkler 104 canbe an early suppression fast response (ESFR) sprinkler that includes ahook and strut link, which can be actuated to enable the electronic firesprinkler 104 to flow water (e.g., via electrochemical actuation). TheESFR sprinkler can have a response time index (RTI) less than or equalto 50 m^(1/2)s^(1/2).

The electronic fire sprinkler system 100 includes a plurality of sensors(e.g., temperature sensors, heat detectors, smoke sensors) 116. Thetemperature sensors 116 can detect a temperature and output anindication of the detected temperature to a fire control panel 120 viaone or more communication lines 124. The smoke sensors 116 can detect anamount of smoke and output an indication of the detected smoke. Thesensors 116 can detect fire conditions using various processes, such asrate of rise (ROR) of temperature or a fixed temperature threshold.

The sensors 116 can be coupled with one or more respective electronicfire sprinklers 104 to control operation of the one or more electronicfire sprinklers 104. For example, the sensors 116 can mechanically,electrochemically, or electronically actuate the one or more electronicfire sprinklers 104, such as in response to detecting an alarmcondition, such as a smoke condition or fire condition, or in responseto receiving instructions to actuate the one or more electronic firesprinklers 104 from the fire control panel 120.

Each temperature sensor 116 can be a fire detection sensor, such as asprinkler control heat sensor. Each temperature sensor 116 can include aprocessing circuit and communications interface in a manner similar tothe network devices 204 described below, such as by including anultra-wideband transceiver. Each temperature sensor 116 can detect atemperature and output an indication of the temperature. Eachtemperature sensor can detect the temperature, compare the temperatureto a threshold temperature, and output an indication of a fire conditionresponsive to the detected temperature exceeding the thresholdtemperature. The temperature sensor 116 can output the indication usinga control signal that causes the sprinkler(s) that receive the controlsignal to actuate a valve or otherwise initiate a flow of water to fighta fire.

The fire control panel 120 can be hard-wired to the sensors 116. Thefire control panel 120 can be an addressable releasing panel, which cancause the sensors 116 to operate the electronic fire sprinklers 104(e.g., using an actuation relay of the sensors 116). The fire controlpanel 120 can communicate an indication of a fire condition to a remotedevice. The fire control panel 120 can output an indication of an alarmresponsive to detecting the alarm condition. The fire control panel 120can maintain an identifier of each sensor 116 to associate thetemperature received from each sensor 116 to the sensor 116, such as todetermine which electronic fire sprinklers 104 to activate based onwhich sensor 116 indicates data corresponding to the alarm condition.Fire detection can be performed using the sensor 116 as an addressableheat detector (e.g., sprinkler control heat sensor), the actuation relayof the sensor 116, and supervised output (e.g., supervised output fromthe fire control panel 120). For example, the electronic fire sprinklersystem 100 can include the electronic fire sprinkler 104 and thesprinkler control heat sensor 116 attached via a wiring harness to theelectronic fire sprinkler 104; the detection and control systemimplemented by the fire control panel 120 can include the addressableheat sensors 116 being hard-wired to the fire control panel 120.

The fire control panel 120 can execute various algorithms to determinewhen an alarm condition is detected and when to operate particularelectronic fire sprinklers 104 in response to the alarm condition. Forexample, the fire control panel 120 can execute at least one of a firedetection algorithm, a sprinkler selection algorithm, and a sprinklerrelease criteria algorithm. The fire detection algorithm can comparesensor data received from the sensors 116 to detect the alarm condition,such as by detecting the alarm condition responsive to temperature dataexceeding a temperature threshold. The sprinkler selection algorithm andsprinkler release criteria algorithm can determine when and how to causeelectronic fire sprinklers 104 to activate, such as by maintaining acount of electronic fire sprinklers 104 for which the attached sensors116 have detected the fire condition, comparing the count to a thresholdcount, and activating the corresponding electronic fire sprinklers 104responsive to the count exceeding the threshold count.

The electronic fire sprinkler system 100 can communicate all data viawired connections (e.g., wire communication lines 124), and while thefire control panel 120 monitors the integrity of the connection, if thewired data were to be compromised, fire protection may be compromised.For example, each individual sprinkler control heat sensor 116 mayrequire manual addressing using a dual in-line package (DIP) switch,which can be error-prone.

Referring to FIG. 2 , an electronic fire sprinkler system 200 thatimplements an RTLS is depicted. The system of FIG. 2 may not require afire control panel as shown in FIG. 1 , but instead can use a pluralityof network devices (e.g., network devices), which may be installed on asame plane as the sprinkler control heat sensors.

The RTLS implemented in the electronic fire sprinkler system 200 canenable location information to more accurately and precisely targetsprinkler activation. For example, rather than relying on ceilingtemperature (e.g., temperature at the ceiling where heat detectors arelocated) as a trigger condition—particularly, relying on a thresholdnumber of sensors 116 that detect ceiling temperatures that reach athreshold temperature, without being aware of any spatial relationshipbetween the sprinklers 104 to be actuated and the location of thefire—the present solution can use location information to reliablyinstruct any sprinkler grouping to operating without waiting for thethreshold number of triggers to occur. As such, the electronic firesprinkler system 200 can reliably respond to fires faster and limit firegrowth for a variety of hazards.

The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 can incorporate features of theelectronic fire sprinkler system 100. For example, the electronic firesprinkler system 200 can include the plurality of electronic firesprinklers 104 coupled with the water supply 112 via the one or morepipes 108. The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 can include sensors116, which can control operation of respective electronic firesprinklers 104.

The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 includes a plurality of networkdevices (e.g., network anchors) 204. The network devices 204 can be usedto detect distances to the electronic fire sprinklers 104. As describedfurther herein, the distances detected by the network devices 204 can bemore accurate than other processes for determining sprinkler locations,particularly for situations in which there may be a large number (e.g.,hundreds or thousands) of sprinkler locations to detect.

Each network device 204 can include a processing circuit 208 and acommunications interface 212. The processing circuit 208 can include aprocessor and a memory. The processor may be a general purpose orspecific purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a group ofprocessing components, or other suitable processing components. Theprocessor may be configured to execute computer code or instructionsstored in memory (e.g., fuzzy logic, etc.) or received from othercomputer readable media (e.g., CDROM, network storage, a remote server,etc.) to perform one or more of the processes described herein. Thememory may include one or more data storage devices (e.g., memory units,memory devices, computer-readable storage media, etc.) configured tostore data, computer code, executable instructions, or other forms ofcomputer-readable information. The memory may include random accessmemory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard drive storage, temporarystorage, non-volatile memory, flash memory, optical memory, or any othersuitable memory for storing software objects and/or computerinstructions. The memory may include database components, object codecomponents, script components, or any other type of informationstructure for supporting the various activities and informationstructures described in the present disclosure. The memory may becommunicably connected to the processor via the processing circuit andmay include computer code for executing (e.g., by processor) one or moreof the processes described herein. The memory can include variousmodules (e.g., circuits, engines) for completing processes describedherein.

The communications interface 212 may include wired or wirelessinterfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers,transceivers, wire terminals, etc.) for conducting data communicationswith various systems, devices, or networks. For example, thecommunications interface 212 may include an Ethernet card and/or portfor sending and receiving data via an Ethernet-based communicationsnetwork. The communications interface 212 may include a wirelesstransceiver (e.g., a WiFi transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a NFCtransceiver, ZigBee, etc.) for communicating via a wirelesscommunications network. The communications interface 212 may communicatevia local area networks (e.g., a building LAN, etc.) and/or wide areanetworks (e.g., the Internet, a cellular network, a radio communicationnetwork, etc.) and may use a variety of communications protocols (e.g.,BACnet, TCP/IP, point-to-point, etc.). The processing circuit can usethe communications interface to communicate using a serial peripheralinterface (SPI) protocol. The communications interface 212 can includean ultra-wideband transceiver, such as the DWM1000 transceiver describedherein.

The network device 204 can use the communications interface 212 todetect a distance to one or more electronic fire sprinklers 104. Forexample, the network device 204 can cause the communications interface212 to output a first wireless electronic signal (e.g., radio frequencysignal), receive a second wireless electronic signal and detect thedistance based on a time of flight corresponding to the first signal andthe second signal. For example, the second wireless electronic signalcan be a response signal received from the sensor 116 coupled with theelectronic fire sprinkler 104. The network device 204 can process theresponse signal to identify a time of transmission and a time ofreceipt, and determine the distance based on the time of transmissionand time of receipt. Where the sensors 116 are located on a same planeas the network devices 204, three network devices 204 can be used todetect the location of the sensor 116 (e.g., as described with referenceto FIG. 3 below). Where the sensors 116 are located in three dimensions(e.g., some sensors 116 not on the same plane as other sensors 116),four network devices 204 can be used to detect the location of thesensor 116.

Ultra-wideband transceivers (e.g., DWM1000 modules manufactured byDecaWave) can be provided with each sensor 116 and each network device204 (which can enable the sensors 116 and network devices 204 tocommunicate wirelessly). The ultra-wideband transceivers can be used todetermine the locations of each sprinkler within the network and also tocommunicate data wirelessly. As such, the RTLS architecture can beanalogous to a distributed computing model where each node in thenetwork (sprinkler control heat sensor 116 or network device 204)cooperates in sharing algorithmic complexity, ensuring systemreliability.

The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 can maintain a map of sprinklerlocations (e.g., using the processing circuits 208 of the networkdevices 204). The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 can generate themap based on user data, such as by associating sprinkler locations toreceived data regarding each sprinkler address. The electronic firesprinkler system 200 can use an identifying detector, such as a barcodeor RFID-based system, to more accurately capture sprinkler address data.

The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 can use the sprinkler topologyto determine which sprinklers should operate and when. The electronicfire sprinkler system 200 can select an optimal selection of sprinklers104 to be operated in various situations.

The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 can selectively activatesprinklers 104 using the determined locations of the sprinklers 104. Forexample, the electronic fire sprinkler system 200 can include a policy,heuristic, or other set of rules which, when executed, identify at leastone sprinkler 104 to be activated based on an activation signal beingtransmitted to another sprinkler 104. The rules may indicate a maximumdistance between sprinklers 104 that should be activated together (e.g.,if a first sprinkler 104 is activated, activate all other sprinklers 104within five feet of the first sprinkler 104). The rules may include amaximum distance from a temperature sensor for activating sprinklers 104(e.g., if the temperature at a first temperature sensor 116 is greaterthan a threshold temperature, activate all sprinklers 104 within tenfeet of the first temperature sensor 116). As such, the electronic firesprinkler system 200 can more accurately and precisely activate thesprinklers 104, even if ceiling temperatures in the vicinity of certainsprinklers 104 do not necessarily reach sufficient values that wouldotherwise independently activate the sprinklers 104.

Referring to FIG. 3 , a schematic diagram 300 of trilateration isdepicted. As shown in FIG. 3 , the electronic fire sprinkler system 200can use three network devices 204 and an associated sprinkler 104 toperform trilateration. The electronic fire sprinkler system 200 cangenerate a sprinkler map using each network device 204 to define thelocation of each sprinkler 104 (e.g., within an area of a facility). Itwill be appreciated that the sprinkler plan may be two-dimensional, suchthat, as depicted in FIG. 3 , each sprinkler can be located based onintersections of circles 304 associated with each ranges or distancesfrom each of the three network devices 204. As such, the electronic firesprinkler system 200 can define a sprinkler topology for each sprinkler.

The network devices 204 can execute a trilateration process to determinelocations of the sprinklers 104. For example, a group of three networkdevices 204 can each output a detection signal to detect a correspondingsprinkler 104 (e.g., sensor 116 that actuates the sprinkler 104), andreceive a return signal corresponding to the detection signal. Eachnetwork device 204 can determine a distance to the correspondingsprinkler 104 based on the return signal. The electronic fire sprinklersystem 200 can determine an intersection of ranges, depicted as circles304, corresponding to each distance to determine the location of thecorresponding sprinkler 104. Each network device 204 can maintain a datastructure including an identifier of each detected sprinkler 104 and adistance to each detected sprinkler 104, such that the electronic firesprinkler system 200 can generate the sprinkler topology using the datastructures. The network devices 204 may maintain data regardingsprinkler location up to a threshold distance from each network device204. The threshold distance may be a sufficient distance such that anentire space occupied by the sprinklers can be expected to be covered bythe trilateration, while reducing redundancy (which might complicate thesprinkler location determinations) and data storage requirements foreach network device 204. Each of one or more predetermined regions mayinclude three devices (network devices, temperature sensors) includingthe ultra-wideband transceivers, such that no redundancy occurs withineach predetermined region. The temperature sensors can similarly be usedto execute trilateration using the ultra-wideband transceivers.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , a method 400 of operating an electronic firesprinkler system is depicted. The method 400 can be performed usingvarious systems and devices described herein, such as electronic firesprinklers 104 and the electronic fire sprinkler system 200.

At 405, one or more sprinkler devices can be identified. The sprinklerdevices can be electronic fire sprinklers, which can be actuated from afirst state to prevent fluid flow through the sprinkler to a secondstate allowing fluid flow through the sprinkler. For example, theelectronic fire sprinkler can be electronically or electrochemicallyactuated. The electronic fire sprinkler can be an early suppression fastresponse (ESFR) sprinkler. The sprinkler device can be coupled with asensor (e.g., heat detector, smoke detector) that can control operationof the sprinkler device. The sensor (or the sprinkler device) caninclude communications circuitry to perform wireless electroniccommunications, such as an ultra-wideband transceiver.

The sprinkler devices can be identified by network devices that cancommunicate with the sprinkler devices (e.g., with sensors coupled withthe sprinkler devices). For example, each sensor can transmit anidentification signal identifying the sensor (and thus the sprinklerdevice coupled with the sensor), which can be received by the networkdevices, enabling the network devices to generate a database ofsprinkler devices. The identification signal can be transmitted usingthe communications circuitry. Each network device can maintain adatabase regarding sprinkler devices in range of the network device,which can reduce database size requirements by reducing redundancy. Thedatabase can indicate a sensor identifier (or sprinkler identifier) foreach sensor (or sprinkler coupled with each sensor). The sprinklerdevices can be identified responsive to user input, such as user inputindicating a list of sensor identifiers (or sprinkler identifiers). Thenetwork devices can be or include ultra-wideband transceivers which cancommunicate wirelessly with the sensors or the sprinkler devices.

The network devices can assign a reply time to each sensor. The replytime can be different for each sensor, so that when the sensors arerequested to communicate with the network devices, transmissioncollisions can be avoided. The sensors can be synchronized, such that aclock time of a clock operated by each sensor is within a thresholdvalue of a synchronization time.

At 410, a range request can be transmitted from the network devices tothe sprinkler devices. The network devices can generate the rangerequest to request each sprinkler device to transmit a range signal tothe network devices. The network devices can generate the range requestto include the reply time, such as to include the reply time for eachsensor identified based on the received identification signals. Thenetwork devices can use the ultra-wideband transceivers to transmit therange request.

At 415, the network devices receive range responses from the sprinklerdevices. For example, each sprinkler device (or sensor associated withthe sprinkler device) can retrieve, from the range request, a reply timeassigned to the sprinkler device based on the sprinkler identifier ofthe sprinkler device. The sprinkler device can transmit the rangeresponse at the assigned reply time, such as by using the ultra-widebandtransceiver.

At 420, the network devices can determine the locations of the sprinklerdevices. For example, at least three network devices can receive therange response from a particular sprinkler device. Based on the rangeresponse, each of the network devices can determine a distance betweenthe particular sprinkler device and the respective network device. Eachnetwork device can determine the distance based on evaluating the rangeresponse received from the particular sprinkler device. The networkdevice can perform various time of flight techniques to determine thedistance. The network device can compare the reply time assigned to theparticular sprinkler device to the time at which the network devicereceives the range response to determine the distance.

The at least three network devices can determine the location of theparticular sprinkler device based on the determined distance betweeneach network device and the particular sprinkler device. For example,the at least three network devices can identify a point at anintersection of the determined distances between the network devices andthe particular sprinkler device (e.g., a point corresponding to anintersection of circles or spheres having a radius corresponding to thedetermined distance). Three network devices can be used to determine thelocation where the network devices and the particular sprinkler deviceare located in a same plane (e.g., in a two-dimensional gridarrangement). Four network devices can be used to determine locationwhere the network devices and the particular sprinkler device are notlocated in a same plane (e.g., in a three-dimensional arrangement, whereat least one of the at least four network devices or the particularsprinkler device are not in the same plane).

Based on range responses received from each sprinkler device, thenetwork devices can generate a map or topology of the sprinkler devices.For example, the network devices can associate the location of eachsprinkler device to the sprinkler identifier of the sprinkler device inthe database. The network devices can communicate the

At 425, a fire condition can be detected. The fire condition can bedetected based on sensor signals from the sensors, such as temperaturesignals or smoke detection signals. The sensors may output an indicationof the fire condition. The sensors may provide the sensor signals to thenetwork devices, which can process the sensor signals to detect the firecondition. The fire condition can be detected based on the temperatureexceeding a temperature threshold, or a rate of rise of the temperatureexceeding a rate of rise threshold. The fire condition can be detectedwithout waiting for a threshold number of sensors to indicate the firecondition.

At 430, one or more sprinklers in proximity to the fire condition can beidentified. The one or more sprinklers can be identified based on alocation of at least one sensor used to detect the fire condition. Forexample, the one or more sprinklers can be identified using the database(which maintains the locations of sensors, sprinklers, and sensorsassociated with or coupled with sprinklers) to identify sprinklers thatwithin a predetermined distance of the location of the at least onesensor. The predetermined distance can be a particular distance (e.g.,less than twenty feet, less than ten feet). The predetermined distancecan be a number of sprinklers away from the location of the at least onesensor (e.g., sprinklers in a first group adjacent to the at least onesensor; sprinklers in a first group adjacent to the at least one sensorand a second group adjacent to the first group).

At 435, the one or more sprinklers can be controlled to address the firecondition. For example, responsive to identifying the one moresprinklers, activation signals can be transmitted to cause the one ormore sprinklers to activate to flow fluid to address the fire condition.The activation signals can be generated by one or more network devices,and transmitted to the sensor(s) that can actuate the one or moresprinklers. For example, at least one of the network devices cangenerate a plurality of activation signals and transmit the plurality ofactivation signals to the sensors that are coupled with the identifiedone or more sprinklers. The activation signals may include an identifierof the sensor to be used to activate the identified one or moresprinklers, such that each sensor can process the activation signal todetermine whether to activate the sprinkler with which the sensor iscoupled. The identified one or more sprinklers can be activated even ifeach of the sensors with which the identified one or more sprinklers arecoupled have not detected a fire condition, such as if the sensors arerelatively high above the source of the fire condition such that atemperature near the sensors is not sufficient to enable the sensors todetect the fire condition.

The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including” “comprising” “having” “containing” “involving”“characterized by” “characterized in that” and variations thereofherein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, equivalentsthereof, and additional items, as well as alternate implementationsconsisting of the items listed thereafter exclusively. In oneimplementation, the systems and methods described herein consist of one,each combination of more than one, or all of the described elements,acts, or components.

Any references to implementations or elements or acts of the systems andmethods herein referred to in the singular can also embraceimplementations including a plurality of these elements, and anyreferences in plural to any implementation or element or act herein canalso embrace implementations including only a single element. Referencesin the singular or plural form are not intended to limit the presentlydisclosed systems or methods, their components, acts, or elements tosingle or plural configurations. References to any act or element beingbased on any information, act or element can include implementationswhere the act or element is based at least in part on any information,act, or element.

Any implementation disclosed herein can be combined with any otherimplementation or embodiment, and references to “an implementation,”“some implementations,” “one implementation” or the like are notnecessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to indicate that aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connectionwith the implementation can be included in at least one implementationor embodiment. Such terms as used herein are not necessarily allreferring to the same implementation. Any implementation can be combinedwith any other implementation, inclusively or exclusively, in any mannerconsistent with the aspects and implementations disclosed herein.

Where technical features in the drawings, detailed description or anyclaim are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have beenincluded to increase the intelligibility of the drawings, detaileddescription, and claims. Accordingly, neither the reference signs northeir absence have any limiting effect on the scope of any claimelements.

Systems and methods described herein may be embodied in other specificforms without departing from the characteristics thereof. Furtherrelative parallel, perpendicular, vertical or other positioning ororientation descriptions include variations within +/−10% or +/−10degrees of pure vertical, parallel or perpendicular positioning.References to “approximately,” “about” “substantially” or other terms ofdegree include variations of +/−10% from the given measurement, unit, orrange unless explicitly indicated otherwise. Coupled elements can beelectrically, mechanically, or physically coupled with one anotherdirectly or with intervening elements. Scope of the systems and methodsdescribed herein is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather thanthe foregoing description, and changes that come within the meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims are embraced therein.

The term “coupled” and variations thereof includes the joining of twomembers directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may bestationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable orreleasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupleddirectly with or to each other, with the two members coupled with eachother using a separate intervening member and any additionalintermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two memberscoupled with each other using an intervening member that is integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If“coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term(e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” providedabove is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term(e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without anyseparate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition thanthe generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may bemechanical, electrical, or fluidic.

References to “or” can be construed as inclusive so that any termsdescribed using “or” can indicate any of a single, more than one, andall of the described terms. A reference to “at least one of ‘A’ and ‘B’”can include only ‘A’, only ‘B’, as well as both ‘A’ and ‘B’. Suchreferences used in conjunction with “comprising” or other openterminology can include additional items.

Modifications of described elements and acts such as variations insizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the variouselements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials,colors, orientations can occur without materially departing from theteachings and advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein. Forexample, elements shown as integrally formed can be constructed ofmultiple parts or elements, the position of elements can be reversed orotherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements orpositions can be altered or varied. Other substitutions, modifications,changes and omissions can also be made in the design, operatingconditions and arrangement of the disclosed elements and operationswithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,”“above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of variouselements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation ofvarious elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments,and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the presentdisclosure.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. An electronic fire sprinkler system, comprising: an electronic fire sprinkler; a sensor to detect a temperature and output an indication of the detected temperature; a first network device to detect a distance to the electronic fire sprinkler based on a time of transmission, by the first network device, of a first signal to the sensor, the sensor corresponding to the electronic fire sprinkler, and based on receipt, by at least one of the first network device or a second network device, of a second signal; and a processing circuit to: receive a plurality of detected distances from at least one of the first network device or the second network device, the plurality of detected distances including the detected distance to the electronic fire sprinkler; execute a trilateration algorithm to determine a location of the electronic fire sprinkler based on the plurality of detected distances; determine that a fire condition is present based on the indication of the detected temperature; identify the electronic fire sprinkler based on the determined location and an identifier of the sensor; and transmit an activation signal to the electronic fire sprinkler to cause the electronic fire sprinkler to output fluid.
 22. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, wherein the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler of a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers and wherein the first network device and the second network device are network devices of a plurality of network devices, comprising: the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement; and the plurality of network devices include at least three network devices to detect respective distances to the first electronic sprinkler of the at the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers responsive to a determination that the detected temperature is greater than a temperature threshold corresponding to an alarm condition.
 23. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, wherein: the first network device and the second network device are network devices of a plurality of network devices that includes at least four network devices to detect respective distances to the electronic first sprinkler.
 24. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, wherein the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler of a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers, comprising: the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers arranged in a three-dimensional arrangement.
 25. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, comprising: the time including a time of flight corresponding to the first signal and the second signal.
 26. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, comprising: the electronic fire sprinkler having a response time index (RTI) less than or equal to 50 m^(1/2)s^(1/2).
 27. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, comprising: the processing circuit to identify the electronic fire sprinkler based on a maximum distance from the sensor.
 28. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, wherein the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler, comprising: a second electronic fire sprinkler; and the processing circuit to identify the first electronic fire sprinkler as being closer to the sensor than the second electronic first sprinkler is to the sensor; and the processing circuit configured to identify the second electronic fire sprinkler as being within a threshold distance of the first electronic fire sprinkler.
 29. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, comprising: at least one of the first network device or the second network device configured to operate the processing circuit; and the processing circuit configured to maintain a map of locations of the first network device and the second network device.
 30. The electronic fire sprinkler system of claim 21, comprising: at least one of the first network device or the second network device configured to detect the distance to the electronic fire sprinkler based on communication with the sensor.
 31. A method, comprising: detecting, by a sensor, a temperature; detecting, by a first network device, a distance to an electronic fire sprinkler based on a time of transmission, by the first network device, of a first signal to the sensor, the sensor corresponding to the electronic fire sprinkler, and based on receipt, by at least one of the first network device or a second network device, of a second signal; determining, by one or more processors, a location of the electronic fire sprinkler by applying trilateration to a plurality of detected distances including the distance to the electronic fire sprinkler; detecting, by the one or more processors, a fire condition based on the detected temperature; identifying, by the one or more processors, the electronic fire sprinkler based on the determined location and based on an identifier of the sensor; and transmitting, by the one or more processors, an activation signal to the electronic fire sprinkler to cause the electronic fire sprinkler to output fluid to address the fire condition.
 32. The method of claim 31, comprising: detecting, by at least three network devices including the first network device and the second network device, respective distances to the electronic fire sprinkler in response to the detected temperature being greater than a temperature threshold corresponding to an alarm condition.
 33. The method of claim 31, comprising: detecting, by at least four network devices including the first network device and the second network device, respective distances to the electronic fire sprinkler in response to the detected temperature being greater than a temperature threshold corresponding to an alarm condition, the at least four network devices arranged in at least one of a two-dimensional arrangement or a three-dimensional arrangement.
 34. The method of claim 31, comprising: maintaining, by the one or more processors, a map of locations of the first network device and the second network device.
 35. The method of claim 31, wherein the time is a time of flight corresponding to at least one of the first signal or the second signal.
 36. The method of claim 31, comprising: the electronic fire sprinkler having a response time index (RTI) less than or equal to 50 m^(1/2)s^(1/2).
 37. The method of claim 31, comprising: identifying, by the one or more processors, the electronic fire sprinkler based on a distance from the sensor.
 38. The method of claim 31, comprising: identifying, by the one or more processors, the electronic fire sprinkler as a first electronic fire sprinkler closest to the sensor; and identifying a second electronic fire sprinkler within a threshold distance of the first electronic fire sprinkler.
 39. The method of claim 31, comprising: detecting, by at least one of the first network device or the second network device, the fire condition.
 40. The method of claim 31, comprising: detecting, by the first network device, the distance by communicating with the sensor, wherein the sensor is coupled with the electronic fire sprinkler. 